Loading mechanism for pneumatic guns



April 15, 1952 w. s. WELLS 2,592,838

LOADING MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATIC GUNS Filed June 28, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET1 IN VEN TOR. W/AZ/An 5. 14 5445 April 1952 w. s. WELLS 2,592,838

7 LOADING MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATIC GUNS Filed June 28, 948 2 SHEETSSHEET2 INVENTOR. W/u/AM 5. W544:

Patented Apr. 15, 1952 LOADING -M-ECHANISM FORr-PNEUluATIC GUNS,. v

Willianv S- Wells} Palo Alto cans-. assign'or to Daisy:lVIz'inufa-cturing-v Company; Plymouth}?- Michaiazzcornoration ofMichigan:-

AppIi'cationJfineJZS, 1948; Serial No. 35,593?" I Thisinvention relatesgeneralljr to pneumatically-operated-guns' and refers'more particularlyto improvements in the-loading mechanism? for repeatingtypes" of*pneumatic guns:- -"Pneumatically:operated' guns-of the repeater" typeare*usually provided with a barrel through which shot the formofpellets"are propelled at':considerable -ve1ocity*b'y air under substantialpressure and also" provided*with' a magazine adapted to contain amultiplicity" of Y pellets tin end toiendrelationship. Y The deliveryend "of "the magazineisusually connected :to'the "breech'endi of thebarrel by arecess'liavin'gtadepth-slightly" greatergthan the length of?the' pelletimorderto accommodate one pellet at"a= time: The pelletdeposited in" the recessrirom" the delivery end of the" magazine isordinarily transferred" to the breech 'end'of the-barrel by a mechanismwhich? may: be'operated "in responseto manipulatiom of f the'guncockingmechanism:

Heretofore, considerable difiicultyhasheen-encountered in repeatedlytransfrringpellets from: the delivery'end ofthe imagazinetto thebreechend of "thebarrel without occasionally jamming: one of the pelletsin either "the'recess"or the" delivery'end ofthemagazine. Due-'tomanufac tiiringdnaccuracies -of the pellets; thedatter fre q'uentlyrvaryin length 5 and" mayjeither "-b'ecome cockedin'the transfer recessormay-not"be-;com*-' pletely' released fronr the delivery end ofthe*magazine'depending upon whether the'pelletsare"- longer? onshorter thannormal;

With the above in view; ,it'is ne of'theobjects of :the presentinvention-to reduce to-a"minimu'm" ai y tendency for at-pellet -to -j amin the transfer recess regardless" of variationsin. length; of *thepellets: In accordance"with the present invene, tion, provisionis' madeior guidingmovement of" the s pellets-into" the transfe'rrecessandtorretaining "the *pellets' in position the'- recess'for engagement by"the transfer-mechanism:

Aiurther objecfi of this invention-is= to-asso ciate the pellet guidingmeans withthe pinusuah lyprovided'for advancing a pellet from the breechend of the'b'arrel'to a firing position-ih'the barrel.

The foregoing "as "well' as other objects will be mademore-apparentasthis"description-proceeds; especially when consideredconnection with theiiaccompanying"drawings, wherein-z Eigure" 1 .is-arvfragmentary sectional view of I the'breech" endpfa--pneumaticallyoperated gun" of Figured:

} Figure3' is-r-a second'iView similar' to Fi'gurefi showing; the parts'in:'-a-diffe'rezrt" position' of ad jostment;

- Figure isra sectional "View tak'en on the line Figure 5-'isa"sect-iona'1 View similai-rto Fi'guref showingthe 'partst in--adifferentposition:

Figure 6'1 is also: a sectional view similar" to Figure? 4" showing;the; parts still" another" position; and

The pneumaticallyoperated .gun' selectedhere=- in for the: purpose" of"illustration is" of the re* form of pelletswof orthodox design?Assh'OWn-in the-drawings, the: pellets are providediwith rounded heads-I-I atth'e frontends1.thereof"andi are "formed iwith' outwardly;fiarirrg .;tub'ular skirt" portions to S at ithe rear. ends: a

Inasmuch as; the presenVinventi'on concerns: itself primarilywviththe...pellet loading mechamis'm only the breech? end'bf the" gun" is"shown in" detail herein anditheair pressure control means? is merelyillustrated generally. Briefly; the gun: comprises a' frame Ifl having;a barrel I i of'a' size enablingnpellets P tobe successively propelledthereth'rougH-at considerable *velocitydby air "un.'-

der'v pressure and having a magazine I 21' spaced" laterallyv from. thebarrelfi Iin a common planet with the latter; The" magazine I2 "is;adaptedito A contain a.mu1tiplicity0f pellets Piin'l end to. endrelationships andfjthe delivery, end foffthe magaa ziriecommunioatesiwith the breechtend'iioiiithe. barrel! Ibyfa'recess'formedJinthe frame 'I The width'pf lhe recess: I3"is'1sutficientlrgreater than". thelngthiof 'awpelletP' to .free1yreceive the latter; as shown in Fi'gure 5*0ffthevdrawings;

Tli'eirearwardinost ltpell'et *Pin the-delivery V end'fi of themagazine. It isi'depositedwithin" the recess" I 3tbyjtip'pinggthe muzzleend 'ofthe gunt'upwardlj' g sufii'ciently to enable the"p,ellet to dropinto the. 1 recess by the action of gravity: The pell'etthus depositedwithintlie 'recessI 3"is movediinwardly i throughth'erecess'intoichebreech endof thebaw anchored on the gun frame by a lug l9and the other arm of the spring is anchored on the plate 15 by a lug 20.Movement of the plate or arm 15 in a shot transferring direction by thespring 18 is limited by engagement of the projection H with a shoulder2| formed on the portion 22 of the gun frame at the rear side of therecess 13. Extending downwardly from the projection H into the recess i3is an angular lug 23 having a pellet engaging flange 24 and having aninwardly extending flange 25 at the rear edge thereof. As shown inFigure 6 of the drawings, the flange 25 is adapted to assume a positionopposite the delivery end of the magazine l2 when the transfer arm is inits innermost position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Thus, theflange 25 serves to retain the rearwardmost pellet P in the delivery endof the magazine l2 while a pellet is transferred through the recess I3into the barrel ll.

When the transfer arm I5 is in its normal posi tion shown in Figure 2 ofthe drawings, the lug 23 is located in the recess l3 laterally outwardlyfrom the delivery end of the magazine l2. In this normal position of thelug 23, the latter does not interfere with movement of a pellet' fromthe delivery end of the magazine into the recess and the flange 24 ispositioned for engagement with the pellet deposited in the recess.Inasmuch as the lug is normally located laterally outwardly with respectto a pellet P deposited in the recess I3, it follows that movement ofthe arm 15 from the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings to theposition shown in Figure 3 advances the pellet in the recess 1 3 to thebreech end of the barrel II.

In accordance with this invention, the pellet introduced into the breechend of the barrel II is advanced to the flring position shown in Figure4 of the drawings by a pin 26. The pin 23 is slidably supported in thebreech end of the barrel H and the rear end of the pin is connected to ablock 21. The block 21 is suitably supported on the gun frame ill forsliding movement and is secured to a slide 28. The slide 28 is in theform of an inverted channel shaped grip and the opposite side wallsthereof are respectively slidably supported on opposite sides of thegunframe at the breech end of the latter.

The slide 28 also operates to swing the arm 15 to its normal positionagainst the action of the spring [8 and to hold the arm in this normalposition until the slide is retracted to the position shown in Figure 3of the drawings. For accomplishing this result. a cam 30 is secured tothe slide 28 in a position to engage the side edge 3| of the arm l5opposite the side edge from which the lug 23 projects. The side edge 3|on the arm I5 is arcuate and is adapted to be engaged by the cam 30 asthe slide 28 is moved from its rearwardmost position shown in Figure 3of the drawings to its forwardmost position shown in Figure 2 of thedrawings.

' One of the advantageous features of the present invention is to retaintherearwardmost pellet P in the delivery end of the magazine l2 when thetransfer arm 15 is in its normal position shown in Figure 2 of thedrawings and to. in effect, guide the pellet into the recess where itmay be engaged by the lug 23 before any tendency exists for the pelletto cock in the recess i3 and jam the loading mechanism. Foraccomplishing the above results a lug 32' in the form of a plate orblade is secured to the rear end of the -pin 26 and projects laterallyfrom the pin in the direction of the recess I3. The location of theplate 32 on the pin 26 is such that when the latter is in its advancedposition in the barrel ll (Figure 4 of the drawings), the front edge ofthe plate occupies a position in the recess l3 at the inner side of thetransfer lug 23 and directly opposite the delivery end of the magazinel2. The front edge of the blade 32 is provided with a forwardlyextending projection 34 which extends into the delivery end of themagazine l2 and projects into the skirt of the rearwardmost pellet inthe magazine.

It follows from the foregoing that as the slide 28 is moved rearwardlyto retract the pellet positioning pin 26 from the barrel H, the plate 32moves rearwardly away from the delivery end of the magazine. However,the projection 34 is retained in the skirt of the pellet P and serves toguide the same into the recess 13. It will be understood that theportion 22 of the gun frame is slotted to provide suificient clearanceforoperation of the blade 32. It will also be noted that the cam 30 isof sufficient length to maintain the arm l5 in its normal position whilethe blade 32 is retracted sufficiently to guide a pellet into therecess. In practice, the length of the cam 30 is predetermined toinitiate swinging movement of the arm [5 just as the projection 34 onthe plate 32 is withdrawn from the skirt of the pellet so that thepellet is immediately engaged by the lug 23 and transferred to thebarrel l I before it has an opportunity to become cocked in the recessl3.

In the present instance, rearward movement of the s1ide28 to theposition indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings performs the additionalfunction of cocking the gun. Briefly, the cocking mechanism comprises ahammer 35 supported on a rod 36 for sliding movement fore and aft of thegun frame. The hammer 35 has an enlarged head 3'! at the rear end and isnormally urged by a coil spring 33 in a forward direction against ananvil 33 secured to the rod 36. The coil spring 38 is supported on therod 36 between the head 31 on the hammer and a block 40 at the breechend of the gun frame. The hammer is moved rearwardly to compress thespring 38 in response to rearward movement of the slide 28 by anabutment 4| secured to the bottom of the block 21 in a position toengage the enlarged end 31' of the hammer. The hammer is held in itsrearwardmost position wherein the spring 33 is compressed by an arm 42pivoted at one end to the gun frame and having the free end extendingrearwardly for engagement with the front side of the head 31 on thehammer. The arm 42 is released from the hammer 35 by the usual triggerarrangement in dicated generally by the numeral 43.

Immediately upon release of the hammer 31 from engagement with the arm42, the coil spring throws the hammer forwardly along the rod 36 intoengagement with the anvil 39. In the present instance, the anvil 39 isoperatively connected to a valve 44 located within the storage chamber45 for air under pressure and adapted to close the outlet passage 46 forthis chamber. The outlet passage 46 is connected to the barrel II at apoint rearwardly behind the firing position of the pellet P so that airunder pressure discharged into the barrel acts on the rear end of thepellet P and forces the latter through the barrel with considerablevelocity.

The foregoing construction is such that rearward movement of the slide28 from its forwardmost positions shown in Figures 1 and 2 of thedrawings performs three functions as follows: (1) releases the pellettransfer arm to permit operation of the latter by the spring l8; (2)retracts shot positioning pin and shot retaining blade 32; and (3) cooksthe gun mechanism. On the other hand, return movement of the slide 28swings the arm l5 back to its normal position shown in Figure 2 of thedrawings, moves the pin 26 forwardly in the barrel to advance the shotor pellet to a firing position forwardly beyond the air dischargepassage, and moves the plate 32 in retaining relationship with therearwardmost pellet P in the magazine l2.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A pneumatic g-un comprising a, frame having a barrel, a magazinespaced laterally from the barrel and adapted to retain a pluralit ofskirted pellets in end to end relation with the skirt portions extendingrearwardly, a recess connecting the delivery end of the magazine to thebreech end of the barrel, a member supported for sliding movement indirections fore and aft of the barrel, an extension on said memberresponsive to movement of the member to its forwardmost position toproject into the skirt end of the rearwardmost pellet in the magazineand responsive to initial movement of the member rearwardly and upwardtilting of the barrel muzzle end to guide said pellet into the recess,means at the rear side of the recess for disengaging the pellet from theextension upon continued rearward movement of the member, and meansoperating in timed relation to disengagement of the extension from saidpellet to transfer the latter into the breech end of the barrel.

2. A pneumatic gun comprising a frame having a barrel, 3, magazinespaced laterally from the barrel and adapted to retain a plurality ofskirted pellets in end to end relation with the skirt portions extendingrearwardly, a reces connecting the delivery end of the magazine to thebreech end of the barrel, a member supported for sliding movement indirections fore and aft of the barrel, an extension on said memberresponsive to movement of the member to its forwardmost position toproject into the skirt end of the rearwardmost pellet in the magazineand responsive to initial movement of the member rearwardly and upwardtilting of the barrel muzzle end to guide said pellet into the recess,means at F the rear side of the recess for disengaging the pellet fromthe extension upon continued rearward movement of the member, and meansresponsive to said continued movement of the member in a rearwarddirection to engage the pellet at approximately the same time the skirtof the pellet is disengaged from the extension and to transfer saidpellet into the breech end of the barrel.

3. A pneumatic gun comprising a frame having a barrel, a magazine spacedlaterally from the barrel and adapted to retain a plurality of skirtedpellets in end to end relation with the skirt portions extendingrearwardly, a recess connecting the delivery end of the magazine to thebreech end of the barrel, a member supported for sliding movementlongitudinally of the barrel at the breech end of the gun frame in aplane including the axis of the delivery end of the magazine, a slot inthe portion of the gun frame forming the rear wall of the recessproviding clearance for the passage of said member and having a depthless than the diameter of the pellet, an extension on said memberadapted to project into the skirt portion of the rearwardmost pelletwithin the delivery end of the magazine when the member is in itsforwardmost position and responsive to initial rearward movement of themember and upward tilting of the barrel muzzle end to guide said pelletinto the recess against the rear wall of the recess, and transfer meansengageable with the pellet at about the same time the extension iswithdrawn from the pellet skirt for moving the pellet along the recessto the breech end of the barrel.

4. A pneumatic gun comprising a frame having a barrel, a magazine spacedlaterally from the barrel and adapted to retain a plurality of skirtedpellets in end to end relation with the skirt portions extendingrearwardly, a recess connecting the delivery end of the magazine to thebreech end of the barrel, a shot positioning pin supported for slidingmovement within the breech end of the barrel, a part extending laterallyoutwardly from one side of the pin and movable into the recess toaposition in obstructing relationship to the delivery end of the magazinein response to movement of the pin to its forwardmost position withinthe gun barrel, an extension on said part at the front edge of thelatter adapted to project into the skirt portion of the pellet at thedelivery end of the magazine in the forwardmost position of the part andresponsive to initial retracting movement of the pin and upward tiltingof the barrel muzzle end to guide said pellet into the recess, andtransfer means engageable with the pellet at about the same time theextension is retracted from the skirt of the pellet for moving thepellet into the breech end of the barrel in advance of said pin.

5. A pneumatic gun comprising a frame having a barrel, a magazine spacedlaterally from the barrel and adapted to retain a plurality of skirtedpellets in end to end relation with the skirt portions extendinrearwardly, a recess connecting the delivery end of the magazine to thebreech end of the barrel, a member supportedfor sliding movement indirections fore and aft of the barrel, an element connected to saidmember and having a portion thereof projecting into the skirt end of therearmost pellet in the magazine when said member is in its forwardmostposition, said element being movable rearwardly upon rearward movementof said member to guide the pellet into the recess, upon upward tiltingof the barrel muzzle end of the gun, and means for transferring thepellet to the breech end of the barrel after the pellet has been guidedinto the recess.

WILLIAM S. WELLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 981,418 Hazelrigg Jan. 10, 19111,146,753 Dickey July 13, 1915 1,509,257 Randall Sept. 23, 19241,512,993 McLean Oct. 28, 1924 1,677,810 Bond July 17, 1928 2,320,403Brewer June 1, 1943

